Ornamental illuminated device



Jan. l0, 1950 w. J. MORRISON ORNAMENTAL ILLUMINATED DEVICE Filed March 22, 1947 im) m WWU MH" Huh..

Jia/@M971- MZZmm/A rzysam atented `an. 10,1'950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ORNAMENTAL ILLUMINATED DEVICE William J. Morrison, Chicago, Ill.

Application March 22, 1947, Serial No. 736,604 2 claims'. (C1. 24o-1o) The invention relates to illuminated ornaments and has reference more particularly to religious ornaments formed of transparent -or translucent material and which are illuminated to add to their ornamental and decorative effect.

An object of the invention resides in the provision of a decorative ornament formed of a transparent plastic and which is illuminated in a novel manner to produce a faint glow of light throughout the transparent portions of the device, whereby the device is visible in the dark and its ornamental effect is materially enhanced.

Another object is to provide an illuminated ornament having lighting means in the base which are shielded and therefore not visible to persons viewing the ornament, and wherein the base structure incorporates means for readily changing the color'of the light rays projected by the lighting means to the transparent portions of the ornament.

Another object is to provide an ornament of transparent plastic material for conducting rays from a light source to all portions of the device and which will include a construction whereby all portions are illuminated to an equal extent.

With these and other objects in view the invention may consist of certain novel features of construction and operation as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the specification, drawings and claims appended hereto.

In the drawings which illustrate an embodiment of the invention and wherein like reference characters are used to designate like parts- Figure 1 is a front elevational View, parts being shown in section, of an illuminated ornament in the form of a cross embodying the improvements of the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the ornament shown in Figure 1 illustrating a bracket type of support for the same; and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view showing constructional details for the arms of the cross.

Referring to the drawings, the device selected for illustrating the present invention may include the stand generally indicated by numeral I and comprising the bottom step portion II and the top step portion I2 formed of plastic or other suitable material, the step portion I2 being recessed as at I3 for receiving the base I4 of the ornamental cross indicated by numeral I5. The base I4 may have a tight t in recess I3, provided therefor in step portion I2, or other suitable means may be employed for securely uniting base I4 to the stand. 1n accordance with the invention said base is hollow, having a rear plate I6 removably secured to the base by screws I'I. The rear plate supports the lighting means for the ornament, the same consisting of the bulb I8 and socket 20 and it will be observed that with the rear plate I6 in secured relation to base i4 that the bulb I8 is located within the base and directly below the ornamental cross I5. The socket 20 is suitably fixed to rear plate I6 in a manner to project rearwardly of the plate for electrically connecting with a source of electric current by means of conductors ZI.

The ornamental cross generally designated by numerals I 5 consists of a vertical standard 22 Ahaving a xed relation as at 23 in the top wall of base I4 and suitably supporting at its other end a pair of horizontal arms 24 and 25 and a Vertical arm 25 which has the appearance of constituting a continuation of the standard 22. In accordance with the invention the standard and the arms are formed separately and assembled to form the cross as shown, the various portions being securely held in assembled relation by the disc 21 which for decorative purposes may be square, round, hexagonal or other desired shape. The disc 21 is located at the intersection of the arm portions of the cross, or more particularly where the arms connect with the standard, and accordingly said disc performs a decorative as well as a useful function.

The base and arms 24, 25 and 2B are each made of special material having the ability to transmit light rays from the light source I8 throughout the length of their respective portions. The methyl methacrylate type of plastics has been selected since these plastics have edge-lighting ability and thus the light rays from bulb I8 will be transmitted by standard 22 to cause the standard and the arms to glow. In constructing a cross such as disclosed in the drawings difficulty is encountered in securing a uniform lighting effect of the arm portions 24, 25 and 26. By uniting the portions, as shown in Figure 3, the light rays are transmitted to a uniform degree to the horizontal arms and to the Vertical arm. The top of the standard 22 is providedfwith angular surfaces 28 which are preferably at a fortyiive degree angle. The tip end ordinarily formed by such surfaces is cut off in accordance with the invention to form the flat top 30 on the standard 22. In a similar manner arm 24 and arm 25 are each provided with angular surfaces 3| and 32, respectively, and the tip end of each is also cut off to provide the respective flat edges 33 and 34. The angular surfaces of the arm portions 24 and 25 form forty-five degree angles, and accordingly one surface of each arm may be placed in contact with a surface 28 of the standard to thereby position the arms horizontally. The vertical arm 28 is also provided with angular surfaces 35, each forming a forty-five degree angle at its base but it will be observed that with respect to this vertical arm the tip end is not out olf and thus the surfaces 35 for the vertical arm meet at the apex 35.

The light rays conducted by standard 22 will be transmitted uniformly to the horizontal arms 24 and 2-5 by reason of the angular surfaces which the respective portions have with each other. The light rays will also be transmitted to a uniform extent to the vertical arm 26 and this uniform transmission of said rays is made possible by the coaoting angular surfaces between arm portion 26 and the horizontal arms in combination with the apex. By eliminating the apices of the standard and horizontal arms the rays transmitted at these ooacting surfacesY are reduced but are substantially equal to the rays transmitted to the vertical arm so that uniform illumination of the arm portions is secured.

For changing the color ofthe light rays illuminating the decorative cross or other ornament 'supported by base i4 the invention pro-` vides a formation in the top wall of the base including the horizontal grooves 33 which are adapted to releasably support a colored slide @i8 and which slide is accordingly located under standard 22 and directly over the light bulb i8. In other words, the slide is positioned between the bulb and the bottom end of the standard.`

The rays vpassing through the slide are thereby colored in accordance with that of the slide and said .colored rays will thus illuminate the cross.

In those instances where the stand l0 is not desired the base ld may be removed from the stand and supported from the `wall 4l by means of the bracket 52. The bracket is suitably secured to the wall by screws 43 and the screws 44 are employed to Xedly secure the base I4 to said bracket.

The invention has provided a decorative ornament or light fixture which may or may not have religious significance. The transparent plastic of the ornament is illuminated by lighting means located in its base and which lighting means are therefore not directly visible to persons viewing the ornament. However, the light rays are transmitted by the portions of the ornament which are thus illuminated by a soft glow of light. The edge-lighting ability of the plastic makes it possible to transmit the light rays longitudinally of the portions and the angular surfaces continue the transmitting action to the arms so that the arms are uniformly illuminated and to a degree substantially the same as that of the standard. To render the light rays visible to a greater eX- tent the side edges of the standard and the side edges and ends of the arms may be sand-blasted or roughened as at 55. The surfaces of the disc 2'? may also be treated in the same manner, renof material capable of transmitting light rays.

longitudinally of the length of the material, said cross including a standard, a pair of horizontal arms supported by the standard and extending in opposite directions, and a vertical arm also supported by the standard, said standard having a truncated upper end providing angular surfaces and a iiat top, each horizontal arm also having a truncated end providing -angular surfaces and a flat top, each arm being positioned on the standard with an angular surface substantially in contact with an angular surface of the standard, andl said vertical arm having a pointed end providing angular surfaces which meet at an apex, the vertical arm being positioned with its angular surfaces substantially in contact with angular surfaces provided by the horizontal arms.

2. In an illuminated ornament, in combination, a base member enclosing a light source, an ornament in the shape of a cross supported by the base member in substantial vertical alignment with the light source, said cross comprising material capable of transmitting light rays longitudinally for the length of the material and including a standard, a pair of horizontal arms supported by the standard and a vertical arm also supported by the standard, said standard and arms having coacting angular surfaces at the point of connection of the same whereby light rays from the standard are transmitted substantially uniformly to the arms, a colored slide interposed between the light source and the ornament for coloring the light rays transmitted by said ornament, and means provided by the base member for supporting the slide.

WILLIAM J. MORRSON.

REFERENCES CE'ED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

